The Importance of Learner Engagement

Posted on Thu, 03/23/2017 - 08:54

Learning engagement depends on three factors. First is the emotional response to training, meaning how the learner feels about the content and the overall presentation of the content. Second is the mental response to the training, meaning if the learner’s intellect is involved or not. Third is the environmental response to the learning, meaning if the learners are interacting with the learning environment.

With the above definition of learner engagement, let’s explore the learner’s engagement within the learning environment. We all know the higher the engagement of the learner, the more effective the learning is. But how would you measure the level of engagement as a result of the content learned?

Previously, learner engagement was measured by how they did on a test. Initially, it may seem like the most appropriate approach, but this method doesn’t take into account personal biases relative to the learner’s experience. If we were to go by definition outlined above, this method doesn’t make the cut. To measure learners’ engagement, all elements have to be considered carefully, including the changes in behavior of the learner after the training.

To measure learner engagement, we first have to analyze the learner and then the learning environment as well. This can be difficult because all learners are trained differently and learn in different settings. For this, a complete inventory needs to be created of the learner’s abilities to interact with the learning environment.

The good news is all learning environments share some similarities, which allows us to develop a set of measures that aren’t so overwhelming. Also, based on prior learning experience, we can create proxies for the learner’s abilities. Research is underway and the industry will gain insights about the best ways to optimize learner engagement.

There will soon be educational technology that will support new techniques to assess and capture the experience of learners, which in turn will provide information about learner engagement. Combine that with achievement data and you will have a model that makes learning experiences more effective and the learner’s behavior will yield higher performance.

If you need assistance in engaging your learners more effectively, contact us today!